


Somewhere Only We Know

by AllTheFandoms96



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Historical Hetalia, M/M, Mentions of England - Freeform, One Shot, Post American Revolution, Sibling Incest, Snowed In
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-11-08 10:23:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17979536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllTheFandoms96/pseuds/AllTheFandoms96
Summary: It's 1793, which means it's been ten years since Alfred last saw his twin, and he intends to change that.





	Somewhere Only We Know

Somewhere Only We Know

 

December 1793

 

“You shouldn’t be here.” The words were barely audible over the wind. It rushed into the cabin for three seconds before Matthew was able to pull the door shut behind, immediately extinguishing the fire Alfred had been attempting to start. The building was old, so much that any passerby would think it abandoned. That was the idea: hidden, unremarkable. They’d never bothered to chart its latitude, figure out whose land it actually stood on. The farther West they went, the fuzzier the lines became. That, too, was how they liked it, reminiscent of a  far-away childhood where there had been no lines at all. 

 

“Should you?”

 

“That’s not really the point now, Al. My presence here - or anywhere - doesn’t matter to anyone. Yours could trigger a war.” Matthew was still a colony. His brother was well aware of that, even when he acted as if there was still no difference between them. He pulled off his boots, putting them against the wall next to the other pair, as the slightly taller man stood and came over to greet him. 

 

“Oh? Is he on his way here, then?” The certainty with which Alfred asked almost made Matthew wonder if he could still sense - no, that wasn’t possible. Separate from the Empire, he could only know Arthur’s location if it was within his own borders. 

 

“No. He’s overseas. He hasn’t spent a winter here in ages. But that still doesn’t mean -“ 

 

Growing impatient, Alfred cut him off, grabbing the front of his coat and tugging him forward abruptly until their lips met. This was far from the first time, but it still took Matthew’s breath away. 

 

“I missed you. Is that so wrong?”

 

Matthew bit his lip, the clear blue water of his brother’s wide, earnest eyes cooling the heat of the protests on his tongue. “No, but-“

 

“Ten years, Mattie! He hasn’t let me see you since Paris, and he wouldn’t even give us a moment alone, then.”

 

Of course not, the rational part of Matthew’s brain answered, why would Arthur let his good little colony anywhere near his traitor brother? He chose to ignore it. There was a time and place for logic, and it was not when such a short chance came to be reunited with his twin. There was talk of another treaty, one that would redefine their shared border and make it even harder to see each other. Matthew gave a small, resigned sigh. “I’ve missed you too, Al.”

 

The embrace was long overdue and much appreciated, though Matthew did insist on a respite so he could get a fire going. Sharing their warmth was one thing, but he’d rather not freeze. And then they could take off their coats and sweaters  - and after a bit longer, their waistcoats, too. They’d both come in civilian clothes, of course, which they had no qualms about throwing over chairs or, in Alfred’s case, letting them fall in heaps on the floor. In their shirtsleeves with a blanket wrapped around their shoulders, they sat in front of the fire, getting used to the feeling of being together after so long apart. 

 

Alfred had brought food - of course - bread and a wedge of cheese and fruits that really should be put away in preserves jars by now, as sweet as the gesture was. 

 

“You look well. I worried when I read about the yellow fever outbreak in Pennsylvania this summer, but you seem to be all right now.”

 

“Better than ever, Mattie. It was hard at first, but now I have a real, proper Constitution and everything’s running smoothly. I really couldn’t be happier. Well-“ he caught himself, but Matthew still winced, picking up the unspoken wish. Alfred was kind enough not to bring up old quarrels tonight, though Matthew could tell still the wound from his refusal to join the rebellion was not yet fully healed. 

 

“You’re not looking too bad yourself,” Alfred recovered, ever the smooth talker. He might put his foot in his mouth at times, but his charisma and quick tongue were more than enough to get him out of it. Not like Matthew, who still tripped over his words decades after becoming fluent in English. “You’ve grown a lot,” the taller added, a hand sliding across his brother’s back, feeling the adult width and strength in his shoulders. 

 

“A good thing, too, or I’d barely come up to your shoulder anymore. You just keep shooting up like corn,” Matthew joked, before Alfred could think too deeply about why he’d only started really growing after the war. Alfred laughed with him, but at the same time slid his hand down his back, then lower still, pulling him in for a different sort of kiss, long and tender and entirely unlike his usually impatient, never-stop-moving brother.

 

“Nnnn, Al...Alfred.” Few others had ever heard such sharpness in the Canadian’s usually polite tone. “We can’t. I’m sorry, Al, you know we can’t. He’ll know. Across the ocean or not, he’ll know.”

 

Alfred pulled away with a sigh. Nothing else could ruin the mood better than talk of England. “He didn’t know before.”

 

Matthew wasn’t so sure of that, but he chose to allow it to go uncorrected. “That was before. It’s different now. Everything -“ The tears surprised him, hot streaks down his face, and instantly Alfred’s hand jumped back up to a more brotherly hold, pulling him close, guiding Matthew’s head to rest on his shoulder. “Everything’s different,” he choked out. 

 

Alfred didn’t answer at first, because it was all different, undeniably so, and that had been his doing. He wasn’t sorry, he’d do it all again in a heartbeat, but that didn’t stop the guilt that pooled up into his chest when his brother sobbed like that. “Not everything. You’re still my brother. No  war or treaty will ever change that.”

 

They slept together, there in front of the fire in piles of blankets, but only in the most innocent sense of the term. The snow was up to the window panes by the time they woke, though, and showed no sign of stopping. As Alfred pointed out over breakfast, it would be a few days before anyone could even think about looking for either of them. They were together again, and alone. The rest of the week was not spent so innocently. 

 

(The next time he saw Arthur, no mention was made, but Matthew was certain he knew. And even though Alfred would never be able to appreciate it, the Empire made no move to prevent them seeing each other again, and for that Matthew was grateful.)


End file.
